Ammonia-still



(No Model.)

G. STROH 8: G. OSIUS. AMMONIA STILL.

No. 458,798. Patented Sept. 1,1891.

In z/eniors: 6760 2:76 dfrok UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ GEORGE STROI-IAND GEORGE OSIUS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

AMMONIA-STILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,798, datedSeptember 1, 1891.

Application filed April 24, 1891. Serial No. 390,349. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE STROH and GEORGE OsIUs, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Vayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain destructive distillation of animal orvegetable matter, in the manufacture of gas, 850., and it is designed toform an improvement on the apparatus for which Letters Patent weregranted to us September 2, 1890, No. 435,464.

In our present improvement the process involved is the samethat is, theammonia is vaporized by passing the crude liquor through a column, inwhich it is heated by steam, which carries the ammonia vapors into acondenser from which the ammonia liquor flows into a receiver, and inconnection with the column a decomposing-chamber is provided into whichmilk of lime or other suitable reagent is introduced.

Our present improvement consists in the improved construction of thecolumn of the decomposing-chamber and of the receiver, all

- as more fully hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings, in which different parts are indicated by letters ofreference, Figure lis a diagrammatic sectional elevation of our improvedapparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the sections of the column.Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical central section through two superimposedsections of the column.

A is the decomposing-chamber, divided near the bottom by a verticalpartition B into two compartments, B and B and containing in the upperportion a vertical series of inversely-inclined metallic shelves 0,extending from one side of the chamber to within a short distance fromthe opposite side. The uppermost one of these inclined shelves isprovided withawell D, into which milk of lime or limewater is introducedthrough a pipe E. The shelves are provided upon their upper face withdams C, and the upper portion of this decomposing-chamber is preferablyconstructed in sections, whereby additional shelves may be added, ifnecessary, to increase the capacity.

E is a steam-pipe entering near the bottom of the compartment B andterminating within said compartment into the perforated steamnozzle orsteam-pipe E. The other-compartment B is provided with a water-glass Fand a discharge-outlet F, controlled byasuitable valve. A safety-valve Fis also preferably provided on top of the decomposing-chamber.

The whole decomposing-chamber is preferably constructed of cast orboiler iron and supplied with steam through the pipe E. Above thisdecomposing-chamber is placed the usual column H, consisting of avertical series of like sections of the construction shown more fully inFigs. 2 and 3, wherein (t represents a cylindrical wall. 1) representsthe flanges, by means of which the sections are bolted or securedtogether. 0 represents the bottom of each section. d'represents acentral aperture. 6 represents a circular wall around this aperture andprovided with indentations 6 upon its upper edge. f represents a flangedcover loosely supported upon the circular flange c and likewise indentedupon the lower edge of its depending flange. g represents radial finsextending alternately from the wall ct toward the wall 6 and from thewall 6 toward the wall Ct. 7t represents a radial partition extendingfrom the wall Ct to the wall 6, and t' represents a dischargepipe fromone section to the other. The top of this column is closed by a suitablecover, and into this cover the discharge-pipe I leads into the top ofthe column. Through this pipe I the crude ammoniacal liquor is fed in aregulated stream from a suitable tank J or by a pump, and another pipe Kleads from the top of the column into the condenser L, which is of anysuitable or desired construction, for the purpose of condensing theammoniacal vapors escaping from the column.

In the drawings a pipe-coil is shown in closed in a tank, through whichcold water or other refrigerating agent is caused to flow, and for theproper controlling of the apparatus thermometers L L are suitably placedto ascertain the temperatures of the vapors and of the refrigeratingagent.

The tail-pipe M connects the condenser witha receiver N in such a manneras to conductthe products of condensation from the coil into thereceiver, the pipe 'M extending to near the bottom of said receiver.This receiver forms a closed chamber, and is provided with anescape-pipe O, which enters into the top of the supplementary receiverP, placed above the reservoir N, and a small dischargepipe Q connectsthe supplementary receiver P with the reservoir N. The discharge end ofthe pipe is provided with a check or gravity valve P, which is normallyclosed. A by-passage R, controlled by the valve R, connects thesteam-pipe E with the dischargepipe M.

In practice the parts, being arranged and constructed substantially asdescribed and shown, are intended to operate as follows: Steam isadmitted through the pipe E into the decomposing-chamber A, where itwill escape from the steam-nozzle E and pass up through the liquidusually contained in the chamber B up to the height of the partition B.After passing up between the shelves 0 in the decomposing-chamber itwill pass up into the column and through the several sections thereof,escaping through the pipe K into the condenser. The flow of theammoniacal liquor is in the opposite direction, passingin a regulatedsteam through the pipe I into the top of the column, and thence throughthe different sections out through the bottom into well D. Here itbecomes mixed with the milk of lime, and is spread out by the sleeves Cover a large surface and retarded by the dams in its flow until itpasses from the lower shelf into the compartment B from which it isdischarged through the outlet F. It will be seen that in its upward flowthe steam will thoroughly heat the shelves C, and thereby heat theliquor spread in a thin sheet over the same to such an extent as tothoroughly eliminate the ammonia contained in the liquor, and this willbe carried off by the steam through the column into the condenser. Thesame action of heating and vaporizing is performed by the steam inpassing through the column, and it will be seen that by means of theradial partitions a circuitous path is formed in each section, thesections being also placed upon each other, so that the liquor flowsinto one section on one side of the partition H and flows out from saidsection to the next one below on the other side of the partition H, thuscausing the liquor to flow in a zigzag around the radial partitions ineach section. By thus delaying the flow of the liquor the steam isenabled to thoroughly heat it and vaporize the ammonia. To prevent thedirect passage of steam and vapor the discharge-pipest' reach far enoughdown, preferably into a little cup, to become sealed by the liquor atthe lower end, the upper end of the discharge-pipe being slightly belowthe radial partitions. The steam and vapor pass from one section to theother, as in the usual construction of the columns, by passing up tastesthrough the apertures 02, through the indentatio'ns 6 below the coverf,- and out through the indentations on the depending flanges of thecover. The indentations of the cover are made deep enough to admit ofplacing such cover over the radial partitions. The lower section of thecolumn discharges into the well D, where it is mixed with the milk oflime or lime water, the influx of which, together with the displacementcaused by the inflow of liquor into the well, thoroughly agitates thecontents of the well and mixes the two bodies together, while a constantoverflow takes place over the well onto the inclined shelves. The damsplaced on these shelves not only retard the flow, but'also tend tospread the liquor evenly upon the plates, so as to thoroughly expose theliquor to the action of the heat. The ammoniacal vapors escaping fromthe column are carried to the condenser and pass as ammonia-liquor intothe receiver N. By filling the supplementary receiver P with some wateror other absorbent all waste of ammonia may be prevented, as anyammonia-vapor escaping from the receiver N is carried through the pipe 0into the supplementary receiver P. The valve P acts as a check-valve toprevent the contents of the receiver from being siphoned or forced overinto the receiver N. A less saturated solution of ammonia may thus beobtained in the receiver P, which may be either drawn off separately orlet into the receiver N. The by-passage R is for the purpose of usingsteam in case the pipes should become clogged, and it will be seen thatby proper use of the valves provided in the steampipes steam maybe blownin the reverse way into the apparatus, and thus used to remove allpossible obstructions caused by formation of crystals or otherwise.

The leading object of our improvement is to effect the greatest economyin the ,use of steam, to make the apparatus simple and compact, toeliminate and collect all the ammonia from the liquor, and to carry outthe process of concentrating ammoniacal liquors perfectly automatic inall its parts.

What we claim as our invention is- 1. In an apparatus for thedistillation of ammonia from ammoniacal liquors, a decomposing-chamberprovided with a vertical series of inversely-inclined metallic shelves,a well in the upper shelf for the reception of a decomposing agent, asteam-supply into said chamber, and a column communicating with the topof the decomposing-chamber and having a discharge-pipe for the liquorextending into said well, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for the distillation of ammonia from ammoniacalliquors, the decomposing-chamber A, consisting of the lower sectionprovided with the compartments B B and steam-nozzle E, the superimposedseries of upper sections, each provided with an inclined metallic shelfhaving dams C the well D, formed in the upper shelf, and the pipe E forsupplying said Well with milk of lime, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for the distillation of ammonia from ammoniacalliquors, the column H, consisting of a vertical series of like sectionsprovided with the radial fins g and partition h, forming a zigzagpathway on the bottom of each section, and the dischargepipe '5,arranged alternately on opposite sides of the partition h, substantiallyas described.

4. In an ammonia-still, the combination of a decomposing-chamber, acolumn communicating with the top of the chamber, a steam-supply pipeentering the bottom of the chamber, a condenser, a pipe between the sameand top of the column, a receiver, a tail- GEORGE STROH. GEORGE ()SIUS.

W'it-nesses as to signature of George Stroh:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, N. L. LINDoP.

Witnesses as to signature of George Osius:

CLARK E. COLTON, A. L. MILLIETTE.

